


they who learn to heal

by thequeerhoneybee



Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: Angst with a Happy Ending, Azula gets a redemption arc, Gen, Post-The Last Agni Kai (Avatar), azula has mommy issues, iroh is trying his best to be a parent to both, they're just good kids doing their best, time is a form of therapy that should get more credit, zuko has daddy issues
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-08-04
Updated: 2020-08-05
Packaged: 2021-03-06 06:21:35
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 659
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25718731
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thequeerhoneybee/pseuds/thequeerhoneybee
Summary: after the war, zuko and azula learn that perhaps not all is as black and white as they once thought. maybe healing comes from the shades of grey.
Comments: 11
Kudos: 40





	they who learn to heal

“Uncle,” he said softly. “He’s dead.”

Zuko still remembers that day, walking into the prison cell. Ozai had been wasting away for a long time, and Zuko knew firsthand that having help meant nothing unless you were ready to take it. He’d been on both ends of that. Iroh had sighed. This had been inevitable. His brother was always too proud. Zuko opened his mouth, thought, and closed it again.

“Uncle,” he had said, again, as if hoping the older man understood that _he was still Zuko’s father_ and _they couldn’t just leave him to rot._ He did. Ozai was also his brother.

They have a quiet ceremony; it’s not like anyone else would have shown up anyway. Zuko mourns the father he could have had. Iroh mourns for the brother he thought he knew.

The next morning, Zuko puts on simple traveling robes and informes his guard that he will return today, and will go alone. Without waiting to listen to the protests, he walks out of the palace gate.

He doesn’t get results. He didn’t expect to, but it’s still disheartening. He goes back every day no matter what.

One day, he checks in at the visitor desk as usual, and instead of taking his usual seat in the shitty extra chair (it’s the best hospital in the Fire Nation, for Agni’s sake), he sets a small white cake on the table in Azula’s room, and places a single candle in the center, and lights it with his index finger. He hums the traditional birthday song and is prepared for once again, no response, as things have gone for the last few months.

To his surprise, Azula looks up, and says quietly, “I couldn’t remember when my birthday was.” If Zuko cries himself to sleep that night, no one needs to know.

A couple years later, Zuko’s kingdom has begun to flourish. Azula has been approved for unsupervised visits, and Ty Lee and Mai show up outside. She looks awkwardly at them, not really sure what to say. What _can_ you really say to your ex-best friends who betrayed you (rightly) when you wanted to take over the world? The pair has other ideas, and link her arms in theirs. Time heals.

They walk through a shopping center, talking about what they’ll do when Azula can be discharged a couple months later. Azula lingers back for a moment when they’re buying fire gummies. They return and she’s sitting there, perfect head with immaculate hair in her hands. Mai and Ty Lee exchange looks that say _I thought she’s been doing okay lately_ and see what Azula must have been looking at. In the four years that have passed since Zuko was crowned Fire Lord, he had reinstated Ursa’s favorite flower as the nation’s official. Of course, Azula hadn’t known. Those tears make more sense to them, as they remember that she had confided in them once that she didn’t think that her mother had ever loved her.

“You know,” Ty Lee says in a soft voice, “I think your mom would be really proud of you if she saw you right now.” Azula doesn’t respond, but the way she squeezes her friend’s hand when she thinks no one is looking is answer enough.

Two months before Azula’s discharge, when she’s come to expect Zuko’s daily visits, it’s someone different. She hasn’t talked to Iroh since the day she struck Aang with lightning, and it’s clear that he has something he wants to say. She prepares herself to hear how she’s been a burden on Zuko and his busy schedule, and freezes like a cat deer caught in torchlights when he says those five words. “I have failed you, Azula.” She doesn’t cry, then, but comes close. Iroh does. He’s back the next day with a kettle of tea, and when he offers her a cup, she doesn’t refuse. _Forgiveness, she finds, feels nearly the same as grief._

**Author's Note:**

> this is the first fanfic i'm posting on this platform. it's based on some lovely headcanons @yannasunflower on tumblr wrote that i got permission to write a fic based on. i hope you enjoy.


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